


Fairest

by Gem1620



Category: Kamisama Hajimemashita | Kamisama Kiss
Genre: Alternate Universe - Snow White Fusion, Alternate Universe - Snow White and the Huntsman Fusion, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-15 18:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16069217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gem1620/pseuds/Gem1620
Summary: A vain and wicked sky goddess learns that her cruel reign of terror will be overthrown by a spirited maiden more beautiful than her. So she sends a wild fox yokai to hunt her down and take her life. But both this goddess and yokai underestimate this maiden's strength and what happens when love starts to complicate things?





	1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time and a long time ago there lived a prosperous land which was ruled by a wise, fair, and kind land god called Mikage. For centuries he ruled this land showing nothing but compassion and fairness to his people making his land one of the most peaceful and happy in existence. Until one day Narukami the sky goddess who ruled over another land grew very jealous of Mikage's for hers was withered and barren with starving and weak people but only because of how she ruled. You see Narukami was a very beautiful being but very selfish and cruel who abused her servants, starved her people, and robbed her land of everything it had of value. But being too full of herself to realize that it was her fault she instead decided to attack Mikage and steal his land for herself.

Her secret weapon against him was a very powerful looking glass that could steal power and in prison gods. She stole away all of Mikage's powers, trapped him in the looking glass, and took over his land. Just as she had done to her own land, Narukami led Mikage's to ruin. Caring little to none about the innocent people who she made suffer. But out of all the people she tormented it was the women she did to the worst. You see she was very vain and could not bear the thought of any woman's beauty surpassing her own so she went out of her way to avoid this fate by having all young maiden's faces scared, smeared with ash, or scratched up and sometimes she would kill them and use their life forces to enhance her own beauty. This went on for many years until one day she approached her looking glass and said.

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Who is fairest of them all?"

The small mirror in her hand glowed and an image of Mikage was projected from it.

"You are the fairest." He answered truthfully. "But there is another destined to surpass you."

"Who?"

"She has no name yet for she has not yet been born. In my land there is a woman who is about to bear a child, a daughter. When the girl reaches womanhood she will be more beautiful than you."

"No!" She thundered. "It cannot be! I refuse to allow it!"

"Be warned should you try to kill this woman it will lead to your undoing."

But Narukami did not listen to Mikage's warning for she was determined to remain the fairest in all the lands. So she made a despicable decree, that all pregnant women in the land be killed. It was a day of massacre as the blood of innocent women and their unborn children stained the ground. No mercy, no remorse, all but one woman was killed. The lucky woman who escaped this fate was one of Narukami's servants who unknown to her was with child. She was a hardworking, spirited, and kind woman who had been married to a man who couldn't care less about her well-being so she had to depend on herself. She had always been kind to the willow wisps Mikage's most loyal servants and they decided to warn her about Narukami's decree. So she fled the land under the disguise of an old man with some offering money that the wisps gave her and found a nice secluded land by a plum blossom tree and a cherry blossom tree where she built a small house for her to live in with her child.

She got a job working for a wealthy merchant who paid her handsomely for her work. Unfortunately it wasn't long before her low down husband found her and took her money to gamble with. As her pregnancy started to come to end she began fear for the well being of her child for she knew that she had very weak health and would most likely not be able to be there for her for long. She prayed everyday for help, for a way to ensure her child would be alright. Then one day while she was outside tending to the garden when suddenly out of nowhere the plum blossom tree changed into a beautiful, celestial being.

"Dear mortal do not be frightened." She said. "I am Yonomori Mitsuha the water god. For months I have watched you and I have seen how hard you work, I have heard your prayers, and I am quite pleased with how you have been tending to me in my avatar state so I shall repay you."

She handed her a glass bottle.

"This bottle contains a potion from a divine spring that will grant your greatest wish if you drink it. Think long and hard about what you desire."

She looked at the potion she held in her hand and thought about her wish. She then looked at the cherry blossom and marveled at how strong and beautiful it was. At once she knew what she wanted.

"I wish that the child I were about to bring into this world was as strong and beautiful as that cherry blossom tree with hair as dark as the tree's wood, lips as red as the cherries I wish it could grow, and skin as fair and lovely as the sweet blossoms the bloom from it's branches."

With that said she drank the potion. One month later she gave birth to a healthy baby girl with hair as dark as tree wood, lips as red as cherries, and skin as fair and lovely as cherry blossoms. She was just as her mother as her wished her to be, very beautiful but very strong and she was given the name Nanami which meant beauty.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite not having much, Nanami became a very healthy and happy little girl who was loved greatly by her mother. The child was always by her mother's side and she always listened to the words of wisdom and lessons her mother taught her.

"Mommy look what I found." The five year old girl said running inside of their house. In her hands was a little bird. "He broke his wing."

"Oh the poor little thing. Where did you find him?"

"I saved him. A snake was going to eat him."

"Nanami what have I told you about going near snakes? Had it bitten you, you could've been poisoned."

"But it would've eaten the birdie if I didn't come to help him."

Her mother sighed, though she didn't like her daughter putting herself in dangerous situations she was impressed by her kindness and bravery.

"Why don't you go into the kitchen and fix this bird some seeds and dry rice while I fix his wing."

"Okay Mommy."

She bandaged the bird's wing and Nanami fed him and nursed him back to health. When the bird's wing healed they watched him fly away.

"Why did you let him go Mommy?" Nanami asked. "I wanted to keep him as a pet."

"Nanami he's a sparrow. Sparrows are wild birds who are meant to be free not kept in a cage."

"But I wouldn't keep him in a cage."

She laughed at her daughter's naivete then took her inside where they ate dinner and had bamboo rice cakes for dessert. She then ran Nanami a bath and fixed her hair.

"Almost done." Her mother said brushing the girl's hair into pigtails. "Take a look."

Little Nanami went over to the tall mirror in her mother's room and looked at her reflection. She smiled and began twirling around.

"I look pretty Mommy." She giggled.

"Yes you do." Her mother agreed. "In fact did you know that you're the prettiest little girl of all."

"Really?"

"Yes and when you grow up you'll be the most beautiful woman of all. But remember Nanami being beautiful is only a small part of who you are and it's something you were born with."

"What other parts of me are there?"

"Well you'll have to decide what they are but I know a few. You're strong and smart and kind and brave. Those are excellent qualities for a girl to have."

"Mommy how come Daddy only comes home a few times?"

She bristled at the mention of her husband.

"Nanami Daddy doesn't really live here. He only comes here when he's out of money speaking of which don't you give him money understand? Because believe me he'll never put it to good use."

"Alright Mommy."

"Listen Nanami there may come a day when Mommy has to go away for awhile and when that happens I need you to be strong and to take care of yourself okay? You have a very strong heart Nanami which is why I have faith that you'll be okay."

"You're going away? Are we going on a trip? I don't know if I'll have time to pack."

"No Nanami where I'm going you can't come."

"When will you be back?"

"Nanami the place I'm going to is a place where no one comes back."

"Why?"

"It's just the way it is. There comes a time in a person's life where they have to go away and never come back. For some people it's a very long time before they have to go but I'm afraid that my time is almost here."

"Mommy will I be all alone?"

"I'll always be with you Nanami even if you can't see me."

Nanami's mother died of an illness two weeks later. With her mother dead and her father absent Nanami was forced to take care of herself, alone in a big world. Some say it was impossible for a five year old to survive by herself but little Nanami found a way. But the world can be quite cruel and it wasn't long until Narukami's men discovered the secluded land where she lived and took over it. They burned down her home and left her with nothing. So she spent her days wondering from shelter to shelter seeking work or something she could do to help herself. She would meet the occasional kind peoplewho would give her money, food, and sometimes people would hire her to do house work but it was never easy.

Tweleve years passed and despite living out her days in poverty with very little, Nanami grew into a very beautiful young woman with a strong heart and a spirited soul which she never allowed to be broken.

"Hello there." She said to the group of white eye Japanese birds perched on a tree branch. "Would you all like a treat?"

She laid out some grains of rice she had on the ground. The birds fluttered down and began eating the rice. She smiled then made her way to the market.

"Good morning Nanami." A boy called Kotaro greeted politely.

"Good morning." She said back in an equally polite voice. "How's work?"

"Fine thank you. What about you?"

"I am well."

"Have a good day."

"You too."

...

"Mirror, mirror on the wall." Narukami asked her mirror as she did every day. "Who is fairest of them all?"

As usual Mikage appeared in an imagery form.

"Narukami you are quite fair but today I see a young maiden who's beauty surpasses yours."

"Impossible!" She snapped. "You lie!"

"You know very well that keeping me in this mirror prevents me from lying. I only speak the truth and as I told you seventeen years ago, if you try to harm this maiden it will lead to your undoing."

"Enough! Tell me the name of this maiden."

"She is called Nanami."

"And how can I make myself more beautiful than she."

Mikage didn't want to tell her but he was bound by the mirror to answer any question given to him truthfully.

"Consume her pure and strong heart then no one shall ever surpass your beautyagain."

"Be gone now." She dismissed and Mikage went back into the mirror. "Akura-Ou!"

She called her most trusted, loyal, and dangerous servant. A vicious and violent yokai.

"You called?" He said.

"Go to the village and bring me a maiden called Nanami."


	3. Chapter 3

After a hard day at work Nanami decided to go to her favorite place in the world. It was the cherry blossom tree that still remained by the burned down ashes that was once her home. She would climb up the tree, sit on it's branches, smell the blossoms, and watch the sun rise in the dawn and the sun set at dusk. Being in that tree gave her a perfect view of the sun and it reminded her of the days she spent when her mother was still here. In a weird way being in that tree made her feel like she was with her mother again, she loved that tree. It was one of the very few things in this cruel world that made her happy. It also gave her hope because despite how barren and destroyed the land was this tree still managed to stay alive and continue to grow strong.

"I wish you could see it Mother." Nanami sighed. "You'd be so happy."

She remembered how when she was little her mother insisted that when she became a woman she would be as strong and beautiful as this tree. Strength Nanami understood but beauty? That one was a mystery to her. Nanami couldn't help but wonder how her mother could have ever seen her as beautiful. She was just a dirty little homeless girl. What beauty could she have?

Suddenly she felt the tree began to shake.

"Earthquake!" She held on to the tree to keep herself from falling but whatever force was shaking the tree was very strong and she ended up falling out of the tree at the feet of the most terrifying being she had ever seen. His skin was the color of paper, his hair and eyes were blood red, he had horns, talons, fangs, he was a yokai. He had to be, a very frightening yokai.

"So you're the little beauty who's got Narukami so upset." He kneeled down, grabbed her chin, and examined her face. "Wow...You really are the fairest of them all aren't you?"

"Don't touch me!" She jerked away from him. "Who are you?"

"I am Akura-Ou, personal servant to Lady Narukami. She's requested your presence at her palace."

"What for?"

"Sorry woman but that must remain classified."

"Then I'm not going anywhere."

She tried to run away but he caught her roughly by the arm. His grip was so strong that it was nearly impossible for her to break away.

"Don't make this difficult or I may just have to damage that pretty skin of yours."

"Let go of me!" She struggled but it was like his hand was an iron chain. She was then forced on to a horse with him. He held her firmly then turned to the tree.

"Burn it!" He told his men.

"No please! Don't!" Nanami begged but her cries were ignored and she was forced to watch as the tree. As her beloved cherry blossom tree that she had loved for so long get burned to the ground just like her house. Tears streamed down her face the whole time she was taken to the palace. Upon arriving there she had to wait in the hall. She noticed a bent nail sticking out of the floor. Using her strength she pull it out and kept it in her dress pocket in case she may need it.

She was then thrown at the feet of Narukami and left alone with her. Her eyes held nothing but pure hatred at the young girl.

"Is this a joke?" She said. "You're just a homely little girl! What's so special about you?"

"What do you want with me?"

"Don't play incompetent with me! Did you really think you deceive me?!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Trickery and decite!"

"I'm really confused here."

"You have committed a great crime but you won't get away with it!"

"I've committed a crime? If anyone has committed crime it's you!"

""Watch your tongue girl! Do you know who you're talking to?!"

"Yes I'm talking to a cruel and wicked woman! You're a monster! You suck the life out of everything living and leave it to die just so you can be beautiful. Well if you ask me you're the ugliest woman in the land!"

"My beauty! How dare you call it ugly!"

She sized Nanami by her throat and began to strangle her. Thinking fast Nanami pulled the nail from her pocket and used it to scratch Narukami's face. She screamed and released Nanami giving her a chance to run out of the room and toward the exit.

"After her!" Narukami shrieked.

At her command her guards began to chase after Nanami. She ran outside and through the village. She tripped a few times but still kept on running. She stopped only once and that was to knock over a barrel of oil that spilled out on the ground and made the men slip and fall over themselves. She had gotten ahead of them but it wouldn't be long before they caught up with her. Her only possible chance she could escape and that was through the forest.

Now she knew all too well that it was in feasted with yokai, monsters, who knows what else but it was either that or suffer Narukami's wrath. Gathering up her courage she ran into the forest. It was dark and shadowy with spiders, snakes, rats, quick sand, thorns, and vines. But she was in such a haste to get away that she hardly noticed any of it. After running for so long she finally stopped and collapsed in exhaustion. She didn't know what was going on but one thing she knew for sure was she couldn't back there. Not now or ever.


	4. Chapter 4

"Where is she?!" Narukami thundered to Akura-Ou when he and his men came back.

"She escaped." He said.

"To where?!"

"The frobbidden wood."

"You fool! I have no power there! No lower God does! How could you let her escape there?!"

"It wasn't my fault!"

"Spare me your excuses!"

"Look the entire forest is infested with yokai who will no doubt kill the girl. So what is there to worry about?"

"I need her heart you fool!"

"Now don't start a hurricane! Please! The last thing we need is more destroyed land!"

"Well do you have any suggestions?"

"Well you could focus on something less fleeting as physical beauty."

She shocked him with lighting for that.

"Ow! Ow! Damn it! It was just a suggestion! Look if you want to find her then send a huntsman."

"Who?"

"I know a guy. He's a wild fox yokai who's not easy to work with but I'm sure with the right price he can be persuaded to help us."

This wild fox yokai was known as Tomoe. He was once a ruthless and merciless huntsman who could track anything and kill anything with just one swipe of a blade or his claws. He and Akura-Ou used to be partners and they would go around terrorizing the innocent but then he fell very much in love with extraordinarily beautiful mortal named Yukiji. Though she considered him a friend she did not return his feelings and ended up marrying a young lord. Sometime later he was heartbroken to learn that Yukiji was killed by a human bandit and ever since then he had hated all humanity and spent his days getting drunk at brothels.

The raccon dog yokai prostitutes were all startled with fear when Akura-Ou came charging into the brothel breaking the door down in the process.

"Where is Tomoe?" He demanded.

"He's not here." The head mistress said.

"Well where did he go?"

"We don't know."

"Well that's too bad."

He raised his claws and prepared to slaughter all the women when one stood up and said.

"Wait! He was just with me and I think he said he was going hunting."

Akura-Ou lowered his claws and then bolted out of there leaving the place in shambles. In a field not too far from there Tomoe sat quietly in the tall grass spying on a deer as it grazed. He silently pulled out his axe and tracted his claws, he was just about to attack when a loud crash scared his intended meal away.

"What beastly luck." He cursed. "Who the hell made that noise?"

"Hello Tomoe." Teased the voice of his former partner. "Long time no see. How are you?"

"On the break of starvation thanks to you!"

"My most humble apologizes old friend but this is of great importance."

"I highly doubt that."

"Naraukami wishes to speak with you."

"Oh really? Well tell her I'm not interested."

"Sorry Tomoe but I'm under strict orders to bring you to her and if I don't she'll be very angry."

"Do I look like I care at all about what she wants? Go away Akura-Ou before I cut off your head."

Tomoe turned his back and walked away. Akura-Ou sighed.

"Then I guess it's the hard way then."

Before Tomoe could turn around and question him Akura-Ou knocked him out with a bash to the head and dragged his unconscious body back to the palace. When Tomoe finally awoke he was at the feet of Naraukami who was rather impressed by how young and handsome looking he was.

"So you're the huntsman Tomoe." She said smiling. "Well I must say I was expecting you to be some large, bulking man not a handsome youth."

"Cut the flattery what do you want with me?"

"I have a little job for you."

"What job?"

"A prisoner of mine has escaped into the forbidden wood and I am told you are one of the very few who have entered it and came back alive."

"So what's it to you?"

"I need you to go into the forbidden wood and retrieve that prisoner."

"Let me think about that...Um no."

"If you do this you will be rewarded handsomely."

"No amount of wealth can convince me to go back into that hell pit."

"Then perhaps you would want something more satisfying."

She lowered herself down to him and began to run her fingers up his chest while undoing her dress. Tomoe only scoffed and shoved her away in disgust.

"Sorry but cold hearted dictators aren't my type."

Naraukami was both surprised and insulted by his reaction. No man had ever turned her down before. Even if she was evil she had a body that was irresistible.

"Oh that's right you prefer human girls." She taunted. "Like that wench Yukiji."

At the mention of his lost love's name Tomoe lunged to attack her only to be restricted by her men.

"Do not speak her name." He snarled.

"Aww you miss her. Perhaps I could bring her back."

"You lie! She is dead! No one can bring her back!"

"I can. I am a goddess. I can do anything including bring back your beloved Yukiji only this time she would be your wife and all you have to do to make that happen is bring me back one prisoner."

Tomoe thought for a moment. He wasn't sure if he could trust this woman but the desire to see Yukiji again and have her as his wife convinced him to accept Naraukami's offer.

"Very well." He agreed.

"Good choice." She grinned. "The prisoner you are seeking is a fast runner but she shouldn't have gotten too far."

"She? The prisoner is a woman?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No but what threat does a mortal woman pose to you?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Fair enough. You'll have her by the end of the day."

He then grabbed his axe, took a horse, and went off searching for Nanami.


	5. Chapter 5

It was morning when Nanami awoke however the trees were so tall and big that they blocked the sun light so the woods were still so very dark. She didn't like the dark, she didn't like being unable to see. It made her think of scary and frightening things that could harm her. However she couldn't let herself be frightened into going back or she would be done for. So she stood up, pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, and started walking. Every where she looked she saw something scary. Frogs, toads, snakes, spiders, bats, rats, thorns, quicksand, she was shaking like a leaf. After wandering for a very a long time and stopped to rest by a tree.

Unknown to her someone had tracked her down. That someone was Tomoe. There had been no exaggeration he was an excellent tracker. Tomoe had picked up Nanami's trail in no time. He followed it through every tree and bush it led him to, until finally he spotted the cloaked figure lying near a tree. He pulled out his dagger and carefully approached her. His footsteps were softer than grass and made no noise. He was extra carefully not to startled her and was as quiet as he could be. He would have succeeded in killing her in one swift, quiet move had he not accidentally stepped on a branch, making a noise that startled her and caught her attention.

Nanami gasped and turned around. When she saw him she quickly began running for her life. Unfortunately for her Tomoe had speed like the wind. Try as she might, she couldn't out run him. She then felt him grab her roughly by her arm and yank her toward him. He raised the dagger up ready strike and pulled back her hood, but he dropped his dagger when he saw the face that was under it.

It was a young maiden. An extraordinarily beautiful maiden who happened to look very much like Yukiji. Tomoe was awestruck by both Nanami's beauty and her resemblance to Yukiji. Nanami was also awestruck, awestruck by how young and handsome Tomoe was. Neither one of them could speak, move, or think. They could just stare at each other un sure what to do. Finally Tomoe spoke.

"Yukiji?" He whispered in a voice so quiet that not even Nanami could hear him. For a moment he thought that by some miracle his beloved Yukiji had come back to him until he realized that Nanami's scent was completely different from hers. This woman was not Yukiji. He quickly shook his shock and began to drag Nanami along.

"Stop!" She said. "Let me go! Who are you?"

"Just a huntsman who needs to do a job for Narukami."

"No! You can't take me to her." He gripped her arm and pulled her along. "Please! I beg of you! Let me go!"

"Be quiet!"

"She'll kill me."

"So sad but not my problem."

"Wait! If you let me go I'll do anything! Please!"

But he ignored her pleas. They were then greeted by Akura-Ou and his minions.

"Well done Tomoe." Akura-Ou said. "Looks like you still got it. Now hand her over."

He was about to do just that when he turned to Nanami and saw those two beautiful, frightened, brown eyes. That seemed to say. "Please help me." He had seen those same eyes giving that same plea before. Yukiji's eyes did the same thing as she lay dying in her husband's arms. Should he really be doing this? She looked so innocent but still he wondered.

"What do you plan to do with her?" Tomoe asked.

"What do you care? You've done your job."

"What about my reward?"

"You get to live that's your reward."

"No!" Tomoe said pulling Nanami closer. "We had a deal! Give me Yukiji or you're not getting her!"

Akura-Ou merely grinned and let out a taughting chuckle.

"You fool! Narukami can do many things, she can create life, take it away, but she can't bring anyone back from the dead! Your Yukiji is lost to you forever!"

"You bastard! I want her back!" He snarled as he began swinging his axe.

Nanami quickly used this to break loose from Tomoe's grip and run away. The sound of blades clashing and cries of pain and agony made her run faster. She then ducked and went to hide inside a log. She just stayed there, breathing hard, and praying that they wouldn't find her. Suddenly everything became quiet. Had they all left? Were they all dead? She didn't know what to do. She heard footsteps, they were soft and quiet but she could hear them. She held her breath, terrified of what could happen. Then she saw an axe chop the top of the log off and Tomoe yank her up by her blouse. She screamed.

"Be quiet!" He whispered covering her mouth and pulling her into the shadows with him. "Akura-Ou made it out in one piece and retreated to get treatment but I don't know if he's still close by. So unless you want to visit the underworld keep your mouth shut."

She nodded and the two waited in silence for what seemed to be forever.

"Okay I think he's gone." He sighed. "Akura-Ou never could beat me in a fight especially since- Ow!"

Nanami had bit his hand.

"What the hell did you do that for?!"

"So I could breathe!" She said. "And get off of me!"

She jerked away from him.

"Did you-"

"Kill them? Yes, all but one."

"How could you do that?"

"Simple I just stabbed some with a dagger and decapitation the others with an axe. Now then woman." He grabbed her chin and began to examine her face. "Who are you? And what does Naraukami want with you?"

She jerked away from him.

"My name is Nanami and I don't know why she's after me. And just who are you supposed to be?"

"I am Tomoe."

"Tomoe? Isn't that a woman's name?" She giggled.

"I will have you know that I am one of the most dangerous yokai known to man."

"Who has a woman's name." Nanami continued laughing much to Tomoe's irritation.

"Oh to hell with this."

Having had enough he turned around and began to walk away.

"Thanks for saving me." Nanami called causing him to freeze. He then turned back around slowly and faced her.

"Saving you? Is that what you think I did?"

"Um...Yes."

He walked toward her slowly.

"You could'nt be more far from the truth woman. The only reason you're still breathing is because they screwed me over and no one screws with me and lives to tell the tale. And speaking of living to tell, if you tell so much as one soul that I saved you I will personally hunt you down and kill you."

"Why would you kill me over that?"

"Because I have a reputation. I'm cold, heartless, and cruel. I kill without mercy and I care for no one so if some confused girl started running around saying that I saved her well that would make other yokai and humans think I've gone soft. So don't ever say that I saved you!"

"Fine! I won't!"

She then broke away from him and began to run off. Tomoe huffed and headed off in the other direction. He had walked about ten miles when he felt something trip him.

"What the hell?!"

He looked down at two masked shrine spirits clinging to his ankkes.

"Please Master Tomoe we beg you not to abandon Lady Nanami!" One with a male voice begged.

"Who the hell are you two?!"

"I am Kotetsu and this is Onikiri. We are the shrine spirits and former servants of Lord Mikage and the current yet reluctant servants of Narukami."

"We need your help!" The other said in a female voice. "You must protect Lady Nanami."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because she's the child of a dear friend of ours and she may be our savior." Kotetsu said.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"No time explain, you must find her and protect her before she suffers as did the others."

"Others? What others?"

"No woman fairier than Narukami is safe." Onikiri said. "The last woman who surpassed her suffered a fate so horrible we cannot even speak of it. We could not bear it if such a fate befalled Nanami too."

"Sorry don't care now get off me!"

He kicked them off and continued walking.

"Tomoe you leave us no other choice." Kotetsu said. "Get him Onikiri!"

"I got his legs!"


	6. Chapter 6

Get off of me!" Tomoe demanded as he struggled to throw Onikiri and Kotetsu off of his arms and legs.

"But you don't understand you must protect Lady Nanami. If anything happens to her all hope is lost!" Kotetsu said.

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Nanami has been destined since birth to one day defeat Narukami and free our former Master thus restoring peace to the land!"

"I don't care! Now for the last time! Get off!"

He grabbed the two willow wisps and sent them flying through the air. He then brushed himself off and started to make his way back to the village. Suddenly he heard a sudden roar. The ground shook as a large, ten foot, repulsive yokai approached him.

"Oh great."

Yokai darted after him. Before he could react he caught Tomoe and threw him on to a large boulder injuring his arm, leg, and forehead in the process. This yokai in the particular was blind but he had very good hearing so Tomoe decided to play dead. When the yokai listened for him he was perfectly still and quiet so it just left. Tomoe was in too much pain to even move, he hadn't felt this much pain since the war God challenged him to a duel and beat him in a most dishonorable way. He had been hurt so bad that he was sure that he was going to die. That is until Yukiji found him and nursed him back to health. But Yukijiwas dead. She wasn't here to help him like last time. This time he was going to die. He then fell into darkness.

A while later when he started to regain consciousness he became aware of two things. One he was warm and two something soft was touching him. It was a hand, a very soft and delicate hand that was gently stroking his head. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt a touch like this. Then the touch was replaced by something cold and wet that caused a stinging sensation when it touched him.

"Sorry I know this stings but it'll keep you from getting an infection." He heard a voice say. It was a sweet and lovely voice, the voice of a young woman. Who was this woman and what was she doing? "Don't worry I'll have your wounds healed soon."

She was healing his wounds? A young woman was healing his wounds? Why? Only one woman had ever been brave and kind enough to help him was Yukiji. Wait was it Yukiji? Was she here? Had he died and been reunited with her in the afterlife? He opened his eyes and saw a fire going and next to that fire was a maiden soaking a cloth in a bucket of water. It was her! It was Yukiji! She was here.

"Yukiji?" He gently grasped her hand getting her attention. She looked at him, when he saw how much her face resembled Yukiji's hid heart leapt with joy until he caught hold of her scent and felt his joy shatter at the realization that the maiden was Nanami.

"Oh you're awake." She said. "Here have some water."

She offered him some but he just looked away in disappointment.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I was tending to your wounds. You got beat up pretty bad."

"Why?"

"Because you were hurt, you might have died if I hadn't of helped you."

"Fool." He said. "You should've just left me to die. Why are humans so stupid?"

"Well excuse me for trying to be kind and considerate."

"I care nothing for kindness or consideration. And I don't need your pity."

"Aren't you the most ungrateful person in the world. Maybe I should've let you die."

"That would have been the smart thing to do but you're human it's in your nature to be thoughtless and stupid."

"Oh really? And is it in a yokai's nature to be ungrateful and rude?"

"No but why should I waste good manners on an inferior and pathetic looking creature like you?"

"Oh I don't know maybe because I saved your life!"

"Did I ask you to save me? No I don't think so, so I see no reason to be grateful."

"Ugh! So what? You wanted to die?"

"Maybe I did." He said.

Nanami froze. Did he want to die? Why? Was he miserable? Was he in pain? Did he think he had nothing to live for?

"You wanted to die? That's terrible! You must be in a lot of pain."

"First of all I said that I maybe wanted to die and second of all weather I did or not is none of your business so please don't pity me it's embarrassing."

"Fine I won't pity you. But I need to know something, do you have any idea why Narukami is after me?"

"Hell if I know! She didn't tell me a thing! Though I'm a little surprised that she's after you. Normally she targets beautiful women and in my opinion you are far from beautiful."

"Jerk!" She punched him right across his face. "Forget this! I'm out of here!"

She stood up and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"What do you care?!"

"I don't! I'm just curious!"

"Well it's none of your business where I'm going and what I'm doing! So I'm not telling you anything! And I hope I never have to see you again!"

"Same for me!"

Tomoe watched Nanami march angrily through the woods. What an annoying girl she was. She should know better than to stick her nose in someone else's business.

"Master Tomoe we beg you to please protect Lady Nanami!" Onikiri and Kotetsu begged reappearing again.

"Where the hell did you two come from?!"

"You don't understand Master Tomoe! She is destined to free Lord Mikage!" Kotetsu said.

Tomoe looked at the two willow wisps at the mention of Mikage. Years ago after he had lost Yukiji he had fallen into a horrible depression and attempted to his own life by swallowing poison but Mikage used his great power to revive him and he convinced Tomoe that suicide was not the answer. He allowed Tomoe to live in his palace until he git over his depression. He was in dept to Mikage and had vowed to one day repay that dept. It would seem that protecting this Nanami girl and helping her defeat Narukami might be his way to finally repay him.

"Very well. What must I do?"

"You must protect Lady Nanami from Narukami and anything else that would try to harm her." Onikiri said.

"Do anything you can to keep her safe." Kotetsu said. "And whatever you do!"

"Don't leave her alone!" They both said.

Tomoe then realized that Nanami was no where in sight.

"Oh boy this is not going to be easy."

He huffed and went to look for her.


End file.
